Art of packing



April 2s, 1927. 1,626,344

M.Y R. KQNDOLF ART 0F PACKING Filed ot. 17, 1924 2 sheets-sheet 1 lim April 26, 1927. 1,626,344

l M. R. KoNDoLF v 1 ART 0F PACKING Filed oct. 17. 1924 2 sheets-Sheet 2 0@ i6 w liz/verdor:

117119' j l www1?, Iona@ 15 tainers are used.

Patented Apr. ze, 19.27.Y

maaar caricia, A A

MATHIAS'R. KONDOLF, OF CYNYVYD, PENNSYLVANEA, ASSIGNOR '10 BOXOARD lFlc'tOllr UCTS IVIPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANA, A. GQRGRATION OF DELA- l WARE.

Aar or :encarnaY @pm-ation mea october 17, 1924. serial unanimes.

My linvention is particularly applicable to thepacking of fruits or vegetables having round, 'or curved shapes, such as y apples,

j oranges, peaches and the like, and itis. primarily designed torpermit thepacking of Y such -articlesor other objects so as tovV form a top'or display layer of desirable appear-4 ance andyof uniform character, with the: apeXes of the constituentfarticlesv of such displayv layerina symmetrical or regular plane, withavoidance of the unevenappearance and vacant spaces ordinarily resulting from the topping of a packbuilt up from` thebottom, particularly where tapered conV- In accordance with my improvements, the ldisplay layer is first formed upona surface having the contour desiredfor such display layer and upon this layer theipack is built,

preferably in layers of decreasing area and Y housed between walls of a suitable temporary retainer having an open yendfor the insertion of the varticles forming the pack. When a pack of suitable depth has been formed, a container conforming with Athe size and shape of the pack is telescoped over the retainer, the container having a closed end covering the open end of the retainer and an opposite open end or mouth for the display of the pack upon the inversion thereof. The pack is preferably built upon the vbed of a rocking cradle having hinged members whereby the container may be clamped to the base during inversion yand whichY form a housing holding the container walls against bulging or distortion by the weight of the pack until the closure and its fastenersare positioned to counteractV the'deforming pressure of the load. Y

The accompanying drawings are illustrative of my invention; Fig.- 1 showing a transverse sectional view kof apparatus for packing-fruit in accordance with my improvements; Fig. 2 showing a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3V showing a plan view. thereof, and Fig.v 4 showing a packed container with the cover broken awayV and diagrammatically illustrating the alignment of the packed fruit.

In the drawings, there isvshown aV cradle comprising a base 1 supported on rockers 2 and having mounted thereon a bedV 3`provided with a curved upper surface 4. A rim V5 is fixed to the periphery of the base land spaced from the beveledperiphery .ofkthel bed 3 to form a channel 6 registering with .aA

Y teresa slot 7 in the basel 1 'for the receptionof.

plates8 and a hoop 9. The plates 8 have beveled ends and-are held by thelhoop'- and bed in position to form an ,openl endedre.;`

tainer having inclined walls converging.

toward the end opposite the bed 3.

Y Fruit or other porhifor'm articles maybe laid ina Auniform layer upon the concave surface 4 betweenthe retainin'gfwalls 8 and so l the packbuilt up by the addition of further l layers until the desired depth is attained, ap-l proximating the height of thejwalls 8.'V

A container 10, comprising a bottom 10T Vwithr'walls 101? diverging'therefromrto the openwmouth 10, is telescoped over thepack and retainer walls 8 when the spacebetween such walls has been filled.

The container is secured in positionoverr the pack by a housing comprising al lcurved block 11 hinged to the base 1 and having an inclined bearing '112L adapted for engage ment with a container wall 10b; an open frame12 hinged to the blockll and'having thereon rockers 12 and a bearing 12a` engaging thecontainer bottom 10a; and blocks 13 hinged to the frame 12 Vand having bearings 13a engaging a container wall 10b. A Vhook 14 is piv'otallyl connected `to each end of the block 11 and latches over a stud 15 onthe respective blocks 13, the hooks having off#V Set bearing members adapted for engaging the ends of the vcontainer 10. Each block 13 also has hinged thereto a link 16 which is adapted to pass through slots 17 in the base l and has'pivoted thereon 'a'handle `18 provided with a lug 19 by which the clamp may be drawn up and fastened. l

When .the pack has been built up and the Y l containerlO secured in place by the clamping means described, the cradle is rocked upon the rockers 2 and block 11 inthe direction indicated by the arrow and seated upon the members 12". The links 16 are then unfastened and the base 1 thrown back, the Vcontainer walls being still held against bulging by the blocks 11"L and 13jl and the hooks 14. They plates 8 may then be withl,

drawn from between the container and its contents, and a flanged cover 10 secured over the container mouth V10c by fasteners 10d which engage the side walls 'of the con? i positioned in the pack and having the apeXes Y Aies 10e so as to counteract the bulging effect on the container Walls of the pressureV of thel load. jWlhen the fasteners have been secured in place, the hooks 14 are disengaged from the studs 15 to free the container, which is then ready for shipment.

It will thus be seen that the layer lirst of its constituent articles in a regular or symmetrical plane of any desired contour becomes the top or display layer of the pack when the container is opened byv removing the closure 102.. In order to prevent eX- cessive settling of the packed fruit, it is desirable that the planev of the bed surface 4 be such as to arch the layers of the pack so that the Weight or vertical pressure of the pack is ypartially resolved into horizontal or diagonal thrust against the container. Walls which is taken up by theclosure fasteners, which form tension members hooked into the container Walls. Such arching is not, however, essential if care be exercised in packing.

Ordinarily the hoop 9 is quite suliicient to keep the plates 8 inposition, but if such hoop should at any time prove insufficient to support the Walls 8 against the pressureV ot the pack during the packing 0peration the clamp members 11, 12, 13,714: and 16 may be so latched duringV such operationas to conne the plates 8 in their proper places and the fruit inserted through the openV frame 12. The completed pack, if und-isturbed, is virtually self supporting, hence the clamping members may be released While the container is telescoped on the pack, and again fastened to hold the container against the base during the inversion .thereof and the application 'of the cover and fasteners.

I-Iaving described my invention, I claim y 1. The improvement in the artl of pack- V ing which comprises a rocking base having v retainer seat, clampingblocks on @opposite sides of said seat,` and latching'mea'ns vfor, securingsaid blocks in position.

3. The Vimprovement in the art of packingl which comprises a rocking base, a retainer having separable Wallsjlixed to said base and adapted to have a container telescoped ,thereoveig Vand means forclamping said container and base togetherand forminoV arocker for rolling the apparatus to1in= vetrted position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name this 16th day of October, 1924.-

" `Mari-mis R. KoNDoLii. 

